Southwest to Build New Maintenance Facility in Houston

Southwest Airlines recently announced plans to build a new maintenance facility at the William P. Hobby Airport in Houston. The two-bay hangar will be able to house up to six 737 aircraft and have paved aircraft parking areas, aircraft wash facilities, taxiway connections, parking and loading docks.

The hangar will be a hybrid pre-engineered metal building totaling 240,000 square feet. Approximately 140,000 square feet of the hangar will have enough room for six 737 aircraft. The remaining 100,000 square feet of facility space will be allocated for offices, parts storage and other support areas.

Outside the hangar will be 450,000 square feet of apron paving, with plans for one wash rack for the apron as well as locations for two future wash racks. Additionally, a 630-foot taxiway will connect the apron paving to Taxiway K.

The overall program consists of six projects, including the construction of a new duct bank for the Houston Airport System and Federal Aviation Administration communications, site demolition of several existing structures, relocation of the airport’s Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), relocation of two navigation aids, construction of a detention pond for flood control, and ultimately the construction of the hangar. Preconstruction of the facility began in October 2017 with plans to begin work on the hangar in spring 2018.